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冷战 (lěng zhàn) — the Cold War (historical period of geopolitical tension between the US and Soviet Union); (figurative) a cold war; a state of mutual silence and tension between two people

Definition

Literally 'Cold War' — both the historical US–Soviet standoff and a figurative 'cold war' between two people (e.g. a couple) who are giving each other the silent treatment.

noun
the Cold War (historical period of geopolitical tension between the US and Soviet Union)(figurative) a cold wara state of mutual silence and tension between two people

Examples

  • 冷战20。
    lěng zhàn Shì 20 shì jì shì jiè lì shǐ de zhòng yào jiē duàn.
    The Cold War was an important phase in 20th-century world history.
  • 冷战。
    Tā men fū qī zhī jiān zhèng zài jīng lì yì chǎng lěng zhàn.
    The couple is going through a cold war between them.
  • 冷战。
    lěng zhàn Ràng tā men de guān xì biàn de hěn jǐn zhāng.
    The cold war made their relationship very strained.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

冷lěngcold
战zhànwar

冷 describes 战, a war without direct fighting, hence cold war or strained silence.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
冫Written in full as仌bīngice
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng冷lěng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

冷 uses 冫, the ice form, with 令 as a sound part, to mean cold as ice.

Open 冷 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
戈戈gē
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn战zhàn
Same sound today

战 pairs 占, which gives its sound, with 戈, a weapon.

Open 战 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HistoryMilitary & Defense

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